LONDON (AP) – The head of the Bundesliga welcomed discussions about revamping the Champions League on Wednesday, seeing a potential European Super League as beneficial for German clubs.
The Associated Press reported last week that the European Club Association is discussing whether to lobby UEFA to turn Europe’s elite competition into an American-style league that could remove the need for leading clubs to qualify.
Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert said it is important for the future of football that clubs and UEFA discuss ways of improving the competition through a “Champions League 2.0” or by creating a “Super League,” which has been talked about for years.
“If a Super League is really set up, and it’s done in a proper way, it can be something that helps the Bundesliga,” Seifert said on a conference call. “Bayern (Munich) is very popular and Borussia (Dortmund) became very popular – and that shows how powerful the Champions League is … that lifts them onto a platform where people are watching and they have a lot of fans around the world.”
Seifert has been not been involved in the talks, but the ECA is chaired by Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.